Straw for the Heart
by Killeance
Summary: The Straw Hats are an uprising band in the music industry. As a promotional effort, a contest is held offering winners a date with their desired band member. Emi, Kay Kollins, and Sakiko are the winners but are they just simple winners? LuffyxOC,SanjixOC
1. Chapter 1

**Straw for the Heart**

**Chapter 1:** Contest Says, "Let's Go Out!"

Today was a beautiful day. The sky was bright and the buildings seemed happy to acknowledge my great fortune. The city was surrounded with large buildings and billboards that proclaimed the product that was trying to be pushed forward. Living in that industry, I couldn't help but feel like a mother pushing forward her successful children. I was proud to say that every person that I discovered was steadily rising in the industry, whether they were a model or an entertainer. But my greatest achievement was my first discovery as a reporter. They were the start of my dying career as a writer.

The largest building in the juncture of the city had a large screen, displaying my crowning achievement. Before a sky blue screen displayed in large red-rimmed, yellow Celtic letters were the words "Straw Hats". My pride welled up inside my chest, as the screen faded to a live video of a toned raven haired man with a straw hat atop his head, singing passionately into a microphone underneath a spotlight. The scar beneath his right eye gave him a devilish glow. The founder and lead singer, Monkey D. Luffy. The Straw Hats.

The yellow straw hat with the red band atop a skull with a scar beneath its right eye was the trademark of their band; they were using a jolly roger as their band logo. I discovered them by chance. I was barely twenty-one, out of college with a degree in journalism and was lucky enough to get the job at the company I adored. But as a beginner reporter of the Piece News, I was given average work. Anything that was considered to be the current fad was given to my superiors, leaving me with the scraps. That day, I was assigned to interview an old rock bad from the seventies, The Emperors. My job was simple, to interview the lead singer, Whitebeard, and his band and comment on the concert. I ran into Whitebeard before the concert could begin. He was a sweet elderly gentleman with a black bandana covering his head and his rather large white mustache. He was fit for someone his age and that was what kept him as popular as he always was. Before I could ask any actual interview questions, the concert had begun to start.

That's when I met Monkey D. Luffy. He looked like a normal teenager, dressed in a red vest and cutoff jeans with a yellow sash that hung around his waist. His straw hat was what drew my attention. He wore the piece of clothing as if it was attached to his head. I didn't know him till after the concert but somehow he seemed to know me. Luffy then gave me a smile that seemed to say, 'You'll enjoy the concert.' I didn't understand immediately and that's when I remembered there was an opening band before The Emperors. I watched the kid jump on stage and his dark eyes made contact with my brown eyes. The tempo started slowly and that was when I heard the sweet litany of his song. I was baffled by the voice I heard from the kid. His voice was sweet yet sultry with a hint of sorrow. Luffy was able to express so much emotion in his voice that even the amateurish playing of his band mates couldn't damper the passion one felt in his song.

I was astounded and amazed. It had been their first concert from what Whitebeard had told me during the interview. He was happy to talk about his grandchild rather than himself and that was the hook I planned to use when I wrote my article about The Straw Hats. At first, my editor objected severely, chastising me for having made the article that focused on a 'nobody band'. However, when the senior editor read my piece, I was given my chance. That article about The Straw Hats boosted my career and opened many opportunities for me as a writer. It was flattering but I always considered myself the discovery and the discovered. It wasn't just coincidence that two nobodies were able to make each other famous. It was luck and fate.

I felt a slight tug on my elbow. "Excuse me, are you Kay Kollins? The one who wrote the latest article on The Straw Hats?"

It was a teenager. Three years had passed since I first wrote the article. The Straw Hats were steadily becoming more and more popular towards not only teens but young adults. Even their musicians had grown in talent and Monkey D. Luffy had become a notable name.

"Yes, that's me."

"Wow, that's amazing!" The teen's eyes twinkled as she held up my latest article about the Straw Hats. "You're so lucky! There were so many people dying to win that contest, including me! I can't believe that you and those other two women were able to win dates with members of The Straw Hats!"

The kid was cute; I couldn't help patting her head. It wasn't just luck though. I filled out twenty different forms at four different locations at two separate stands each place. I also had to pull strings to allow myself to have so many forms to be considered. Being a reporter was both wonderful and a hassle. The Straw Hats were the children I watched over since the start. It was only fitting that I continue my report with a history of not only the band but the members as well. That's the reason I entered the contest.

"Yes. I am exceptionally lucky when it comes to The Straw Hats."

The girl ran back towards her group of girl friends who squealed when the girl returned. I never understood the need to make that sound.

I had done research on the other winners. The other two were normal college girls in their early twenties. Each girl was given the option of choosing whom of The Straw Hats they would go on a date with. From the girls' profiles, it was obvious who would choose which member. We were all supposed to meet here in the town square where we would be picked up to be escorted to the location in which the winners would go on a date with the member they chose.

"Hello? You're Kay Kollins, right? The other contest winner? Sorry I wasn't sure since the company told me to wait outside the town square in front of the Metro Building. I was told that Kay Kollins would be here so I thought that would help me to figure out where I was supposed to be. But I'm still not so sure."

First one to arrive other than I. "I'm Kay Kollins, don't worry." I remember her from her profile. Her short curly brown hair touched her shoulders lightly and that was a dead give-away to who she was. Her lavender eyes seemed to give her a naïve tinge. She looked exactly like the photo in the profile. She was dressed in a soft orange sundress with small white flowers. The dress complimented her slight tan and accentuated her curves. Her pair of red flats nervously tapped on the pavement. No jewelry and only a handbag. She was definitely ready to tackle this date head-on. "You look cute."

Her cheeks pinked. "Well yes," she muttered nervously. She would choose to date Luffy from what her profile said. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said bowing slightly. "I forgot to introduce myself. My name's Emi." She held out a manicured hand with orange nails. They matched her clothes.

I already knew. But that didn't keep me from smiling and shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you."

In a rush came the next girl. She doubled over tired yet her attired looked clean and cute. Also another girl that was ready to take this date seriously. "I'm not late, am I," she asked in short gasps.

"No, you're on time." She had long black hair that settled onto the small of her back with bangs parted to the right, porcelain skin, and warm brown eyes. She fit the profile information regarding her rather well. She wasn't a large girl, but she wasn't tiny either. Well-proportioned would be the best word that could describe her. She was dressed in a dark purple camisole with a long sea green cardigan with a belt around her waist on top and dark leggings on bottom. The wedge she wore was an emerald green color with a matching manicure and pedicure but it was a somewhat daring height even for me in my age.

She stood up straight, breathing a sigh of relief. My inferiority complex came out. I read in the profiles that the girls both had ample bosoms, and I thought it wouldn't bother me. But seeing them and reading them made me look at my breasts in a dejected manner. I thought I had gotten over this problem in high school but looking at these young women made me feel like being tan and slender with normal sized breasts was a bad thing. In fact, seeing the girls dressed so cutely made my attire seem rather old. I loved green so I wore my favorite green sleeveless shirtdress with a pair of green shorts with a grey flower pattern. Even my shoes seemed inferior; they were just a pair of dark green slip-ons. I didn't have a manicure and though I loved green I was less than willing to dye my hair that color so it was just my long black hair down with trimmed bangs over my forehead. As cliché as it could get for a reporter, I had glasses that I customarily wore over my amber eyes because contacts were bothersome. But who could blame me? They hurt like hell sometimes and putting them in was easier than taking them out.

But all inferiority aside the girls seemed to be decent people.

"I'm going on the date with Sanji!" She announced the statement in a cheery voice that could barely contain her excitement. "It's going to be so wonderful! I hope he has as much fun on our date as I plan to!" Her profile also said she was obsessed with Sanji, somewhat. You could almost see the hearts in her eyes as she continued to tell us about how she hoped the date would go.

"That sounds nice, uh…"

"Oh, sorry, sorry!" She laughed. "My name is Sakiko. It's so nice to meet you both!" Before I could even try to shake her hand, I was enveloped in a large embrace that seemed to have dragged both myself and Emi into Sakiko's arms. "I'm so glad that you girls seem like nice people!"

"Yeah," I mumbled, muffled by her embrace. "Well," I carefully pulled away from the embrace. "My name is Kay Kollins. This here is Emi."

"Kay Kollins?" Sakiko grasped my hands immediately as she got closer to my person, "The _Kay Kollins_? The one who wrote that in depth article about the bass guitarist Sanji? How, though Sanji can be somewhat of a ladies man, he is still the protégé of the greatest chef in North Blue, Zeff!" Sakiko gave a light breathy sigh at the recollection. "Such a sexy man yet abandoned as a child and left to be raised by Zeff! If I had met him I would have hugged him so tightly and shown him the love and affection a child like him would need!" she hugged herself in example, giving out a lighthearted sigh. "Oh, the sad past of Sanji! All he needs is loads of loving!"

I could feel myself mentally vomit as Sakiko continued to chatter about Sanji. Her devotion was touching but also somewhat disturbing. When I had interviewed Sanji, the first thing he had done was hit on me. Flattering, however, Sanji was a notorious lover of women. It took much of me deceptively dodging his advances to get to the point where I was able to get into a solid backstory of the man. Sanji had a rough lifestyle growing up. Abandoned at a young age, he had to fend for himself for years. When Zeff had found Sanji, the boy was violent towards him and tried to kill the man on numerous occasions, even severing the man's right leg in a violent fit. Zeff's relentless kindness and care for Sanji changed the boy. He was soon integrated into Zeff's family and entered middle school late. That's where he met Luffy. After that, everything was uphill for him. He came out of something bad and now he's even famous. How Sanji ended up a lover of women was something that didn't seem like a serious answer but none-the-less I published the piece.

I glanced at Emi, wondering how she reacted to Sakiko's adoration of Sanji. She looked confused. Emi had the look of a girl whose mind was blown by the amount of information that was thrust upon her. Kids…

I patted Sakiko on the head lightly. Infatuation wasn't bad. She was simply an avid fan. A black Mercedes limo pulled up in front of the street, bringing all attention towards the road. Out stepped a slim red-headed woman dressed in a blazer that accentuated her breasts with a pair of fitted jeans that barely covered the tan cross strapped heels she wore. The manager. I could recall interacting with her to set up the interviews I had done with Sanji and Brook.

"It's nice to meet you once again, Miss Nami."

"I swear that you show up more than I would like you to, Miss Kollins."

"Oh, you flatter me." I gave Nami a smile. "I give your band so much PR, yet you still treat me like I'm some sort of stranger. I feel hurt." I placed the back of my hand against my forehead in a dramatic gesture, earning a snicker from the hardheaded manager.

Nami glanced at Emi and Sakiko, sizing them up. She had that somewhat rude habit. "You two are Emi and Sakiko, I assume?"

"Yes!" Sakiko exclaimed enthusiastically. Emi's response was the same, only not as vibrant.

"All right," Nami said strolling to the passenger doorways in the rear and opening the door. "Get in. We'll take you to the destination of the dates."

Emi immediately raised her hand, a gesture that I had not seen in a long while. Nami acknowledged the hand, motioning for Emi to ask the question on her mind. "Where will this date of ours be held at? And are we really going to be allowed to go on the date with the band member that we requested on the form?"

Nami gave Emi a small smile. "You'll date who you asked. The destination is a small amusement park that we found."

Emi opened her mouth ready to ask more question and I intercepted, placing an arm around her shoulders. "Come now; let's go inside so you can spend as much time as you can with your date." Emi was a sweet girl; just she had this tendency to ask too many obvious questions.

"Yes, that does sound so much better than staying out here," Emi replied.

We all entered the limo in a flurry. My reasoning was that I wanted as much time on my 'date' as possible so that I could have a substantially acceptable interview. The girls, on the other hand, were innocently taking this date as an opportunity to be with the person they either admire or adore.

I heard a squeal from Sakiko as the door clicked shut. I winced at the close range of the sound. I could hear the surprise in her voice as she tried to coherently form words. I opened my eyes slowly to gaze at the seat across from us. Alone, there sat a well groomed blonde man dressed in a dark, double breasted suit with a soft orange pin-striped undershirt and a tan colored tie around the collar. His blonde hair was nearly the same length all around barely covering his ears and brushed neatly from his face to cover his right eye. The slight stubble above his lip and the dark goatee contrasted with his fair skin, giving the man a scruffy yet rugged look. I sighed at the sight of the curl at the inner end of his dark brows. This man was Sanji, the bass guitarist of The Straw Hats.

Sanji had a sultry look in his blue eyes as he gazed at the women before him. He crossed his long legs, and gingerly pulled out a cigarette and placed it in the right corner of his lips; he didn't light it. "So many lovely ladies before me," he said with a satisfied smile. "I recall meeting you once before, Kay. It's lovely to meet you again." Sanji reached to try to kiss my hand but I tactically avoided the gesture. He was a terrible flirt. For a notorious lover of women, Sanji needed to learn smoother pick-up lines. "So these other two lovely women are contest winners?"

Sakiko nodded her head enthusiastically, her eyes staring at Sanji in adoration. "My name is Sakiko!"

"My name's Emi."

Sanji inhaled deeply, a look of contentment in his eyes. "Oh, such lovely women! If only I could take you all out on the date so that we could all enjoy the evening together!"

Emi gave a small chuckle as she kindly dismissed the offer Sanji laid out. I just gave him a flat out denial. He was just too much sometimes. He made talking to him a rather difficult task to accomplish.

"So, how come you're here Sanji? I would have expected the others to be here as well."

"Well," he began casually, "initially, all of us were supposed to meet our respective dates at the amusement park; however, I wanted to formally welcome all of you beautiful ladies, in case your dates do not initially show you the proper treatment ladies such as yourselves deserve." He winked at each of us; the only woman accepting the wink comfortably being Sakiko.

I coughed into my hand at the gesture. Emi gave an awkward smile. "Our respective dates," Emi pointed towards herself and me, "are going to meet us in front of the park?"

Sanji laughed at the query, his face lighting up in mirth. "Miss Emi, I assure you that you will be met by your date once we arrive and you both will enter the park together." Sanji's gaze shifted to Sakiko. She fidgeted under his scrutiny. "You're the woman I'm going to be spending the day with?" Sakiko gave a shy yet enthusiastic nod. Sanji gazed over Sakiko's person, showing appreciation at her figure. He smiled brightly at Sakiko. "I see that I get to have a date with one of the loveliest women here. No offense to either of you."

I could care less about Sanji finding me lovely and Emi looked like she hadn't listened to a word Sanji had said to Sakiko. I couldn't help but snicker at that.

Sakiko's cheeks pinked at the compliment and she brought her hands to her cheeks as if to cover them. "Not to worry, my dear Sakiko, I shall make the evening a wonderful romantic day for us." Sakiko practically swooned. I practically gagged.

When the limo stopped I breathed a sigh of relief. I'm sure that Sakiko enjoyed much of the flirting that Sanji was giving and I suppose if I was an avid fan of him I would have as well; however, my devotion is to the band not just a single member. The door swung open and each person filed out of the vehicle to greet Nami. She smiled at us. "Are you ready to start your dates?"

Before any of the girls could answer Nami, two men approached our group.

The first was easily identifiable by the dark hair and his straw hat. Dressed in his usual red vest and cutoff jeans that was customary to his appearance, Luffy strolled towards our group with the other man. He gave a wave and an aloof smile to everyone as he held a half-eaten pretzel in one hand and a corndog stick in the other. Luffy was as carefree as ever, wearing his usually attire and flip-flops even on a date. I envied that kind of mindset.

Next to Luffy was a tall man with a square jaw, a small square metal nose, and a cleft chin. He was dressed in a colorful Hawaiian shirt that he left open to expose his muscular physique and show a large golden chain hanging around his neck. Lying at the base of a tall bright blue mullet sat a pair of small lensed triangular shades which he adjusted with his hands. That brought attention to callouses on his large hands and the large size of his forearms, each tattooed with a large blue star underneath a thin lining of arm hair. I expected to see him in his trademark speedo but I suppose that the park forced his to at least wear a pair of dark swimming trunks and sandals. I could recall Franky quite well. He was very unique in his own way. All I knew about him was that he had been in cute a few accidents and even before the accidents he enjoyed wearing few pieces of clothing. At the concerts Franky performed with The Straw Hats, his lower half always consisted of only a dark blue speedo. Sometimes he would alternate with red; seeing Franky in shorts was just something strange.

"Luffy…?"

Emi said his name slowly as if it was something she could barely comprehend.

"Yeah?" Luffy answered to his name. Emi seemed unsure of whether to speak there though. So, she hesitated and shook her head.

"Okay," Nami began with a clap of her hands, gathering the group's attention. "I believe that everyone knows who their respective dates would be. But just in case," she motioned towards Sakiko, taking her hand and leading her towards Sanji's side, "Miss Sakiko and Sanji is a pair." Nami walked towards Emi, gradually leading the woman towards Luffy. "Miss Emi and Luffy is a pair." Nami glanced at me then at Franky; she heaved an exhausted sigh. She pointed an annoyed finger at my direction. "Do you know how hard it was to get Franky to put on those swimming trunks just so that the amusement park would allow him to enter? You had better be grateful, Miss Kollins."

I couldn't help but smile at the fact that she went through so much trouble to get my date ready for me when all I was planning to do was just simply interview him. "Of course I'm grateful. I thank you for the amount of effort you put into readying him."

Nami was about to retort when Franky and Luffy burst out into raucous laughter. Teasing Nami was something enjoyable. "Well," I grabbed Franky's large hand, "might as well get our date started." The large man was still chuckling but complied towards the continuation of the day.

Each respective couple left onto their date, each going a different direction as to not hinder the others day.

Emi and Luffy strolled casually to the cotton candy stand, Emi walking behind Luffy thoughtfully. She couldn't decide whether or not it was something right or wrong, but there was something more familiar about Luffy than simple his face. He was well-recognized by many so Emi couldn't stop the uneasy feelings she felt with him.

"I love amusement parks," Luffy exclaimed as they reached the stand. "My brother used to take me here on my birthdays with my friends."

That's when it clicked. Emi's eyes widened and her head shot up. She closed the gap between her and Luffy. "Was it a pirate themed park called Scurvy Land?"

"Yeah," Luffy offered casually. "You've been there?"

At his casual answer, Emi backed off, taking a step back. "One quick question," she said, her voice low. Emi's head was spinning and her memories kept running through her head in a rush. Luffy nodded his head, waiting for the question. "What's your brother's name?"

"Ace."

Emi stared at Luffy, her heart wrenching as she recalled so many memories. Emi knew why Luffy was so familiar now. Why being with him felt too normal. He was the person she knew growing up. Luffy was her childhood friend that she was always with; and he was the person she had been looking for since he disappeared in their second year of middle school. Luffy was her childhood friend; the one she fell in love with only for him to disappear.

xxx

a/n: Hello, readers. My name is Killeance. I'm a new author so please take care of me.

Please read and review. Constructive criticism is appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

**Straw for the Heart**

**Chapter 2: **I Want You to Know

Emi shook, her heart was lost. As a child, they were always together; each playing pranks on the other and enjoying one another's company. Emi and Luffy had seen each other go through the awkward stages of their adolescent lives. It was so natural to be together that when Luffy disappeared, that's when Emi's hidden emotions came to the surface.

Emi grabbed Luffy's hand, making Luffy drop his half-eaten pretzel. Joy filled every fiber of her being. "It's been so long," she laughed, her voice nearly shaking. "I haven't seen you in so long, since middle school. Where have you been all this time?"

Luffy glanced at his pretzel that had fallen to the floor, then at Emi. He bent down, pulling his hand away from a hopeful Emi. Luffy picked up the pretzel, dusting off any dirt that could have been on it before he stood back up to face Emi. "I've been pretty good," Luffy said with a carefree smile. He paused momentarily, letting out an awkward laugh that made Emi stare at him probingly. "Who are you? I don't know who you are."

Emi felt her blood boil. She remembered their jokes as children would always push the other's buttons; so Emi took a deep breath, willing herself to calm. "I don't recall many people from my hometowns middle school; so if you know me, I'm sorry but I don't recall anyone named Emi." Emi clenched her fist as Luffy continued. "So, maybe we should just continue on the date and have a good time rather than try to recall some things in the past."

As soon as Luffy finished his sentence, Emi's fist connected with his cheek. Luffy was so surprised that, when it happened, he was knocked over, landing butt first onto the pavement. Luffy's hand came to his cheek, soothing his wound as he stared at Emi incredulously. "Why'd you hit me," he yelled. Emi was seething, her breath ragged and her eyes glistening in anger and sadness. She had always pictured the reunion between herself and Luffy, so many different scenarios. But none of them were the cruel one laid before her.

"You knew me even before middle school," she stated, shaking as her voice rose. "We were friends since elementary school. We took baths together, played pranks on teachers, and ate dinner at one another's houses so often that it was if we were one another's family. The pranks we played and the jokes we shared were always the highlights of the day when class and other things brought us down. We did nearly everything together and you're able to stand there and say you don't remember!" Emi's lavender eyes darkened as she felt herself wind down from her ranting. "You were my best friend… If this is some sort of ridiculously cruel joke, you had better knock it off. It's not funny."

Emi's tone was serious, her heart burning from the betrayal. But Luffy didn't understand. He pushed himself off the pavement, removing his hand from his cheek as he stood. His eyes wandered to the discarded food but he decided to leave it were it was; he could always get more. There wasn't much Luffy could explain to Emi that wouldn't hurt her though. He had to be honest. There was no way that they could continue the date and have fun if they were too busy fighting. "I'm sorry," Luffy lamented. "I honestly don't remember you. I'm not intentionally hurting you with this information. It's just that there are a lot of my memories that I don't recall before I changed middle schools. I was told that I have a trauma so strongly connected to my heart that my brain subconsciously suppressed a lot of it to protect me."

Emi felt her anger simmer down as disappointment replaced her feelings. She couldn't understand. Memories connected to her were going to hurt Luffy if he remembered them? Emi wanted him to remember her. Her feelings for that wish were strong; however, if Luffy remembering would cause him pain, she couldn't simply tell him. "No, man, no," Emi muttered to herself, her feelings conflicted. Stepping back once more, she held herself together. Emi put on a painful smile. "You've grown a lot since I last saw you. You've gotten taller and matured a lot. I don't recall the scar below your left eye."

Emi was trying; Luffy could see it as he compiled his thoughts. "I got it when the string from Ace's guitar snapped and barely missed my eye."

"The string flew off?"

"No. I got that a long time ago when I was little." Emi's eyes widened at the memory he regaled to her. She remembered that incident. She was there. "You see, I was trying to copy my brother by playing the guitar to impress a friend." He chuckled at the memory. "It went wrong when I strummed the guitar too roughly and ended up breaking the string. It slung out and barely missed my eye, which was lucky. My friend at the time screwed up the wound with a needle and thread because we were both worried about the amount of trouble we would be in if we were caught having broken the string on Ace's guitar. I can't recall the friend's name or how he looked."

"She," Emi offered. She remembered why she didn't remember the scar. It was because after the incident Emi always unconsciously avoided looking at that part of Luffy's face. It was like her brain refused to acknowledge the existence of the wound she had caused to her dear friend. "We were barely into elementary school when it happened. I told you that I thought that Ace was cool because he was able to play the guitar and you got mad saying you were cool too. So when class was over we went to your house and that happened. I wasn't necessarily the best to sew the wound shut. I didn't expect the scar to come out so noticeably." Emi extended her hand as if to touch the scar but stopped short.

Emi wasn't sure how to take the situation given to her yet mirth built up within her chest until she began to laugh aloud. It was so ridiculous. Luffy didn't remember her at all but he still retained the same personality and stupidity he had when they were children. It was a relief yet it still broke Emi's heart deep down. He didn't need to know who she was to be the person she had fallen in love with. "Just so you know, I didn't enter this contest to just have some reminiscent moments with you." She placed her hands on her hips, pointing towards the amusement park. "We're supposed to be having a date, regardless of whether or not you know me. So come on, let's go have some fun."

Emi gave him the fake smile. Luffy knew that smile because he had seen that face on many of his friends. They would do it to reassure a friend they were not in pain. But sometimes the look would simply fall short. He felt bad having forgotten who she was but the situation couldn't have been helped. Luffy wanted to ask her more. The fact that he could not recall many of his memories bothered him. At the moment, they needed to continue their date though. "Let's go in," he said cheerily, grabbing Emi's hand and leading her towards the amusement park.

At the entryway, there was a large arch that was designed to look like pieces of driftwood huddled together. Overhead in large archaic letter was the words 'The Coral Reef'. When Emi and Luffy entered the park, the area was overwhelming. The pavement was layered in white pieces of stone that were spotted with green and brown splotches to simulate a coral reef. Left and right there were gates protecting entryways or regions that contained seashore themed rides: rollercoasters, water rides, spinning machines, carousels, a haunted house, and in the center a large salmon-pink Ferris wheel with passenger cars the color of sea foam. Vending carts were scattered around, one around the corner of every block.

Emi glanced around eagerly; she hadn't been to an amusement park since elementary school. Her head darted from one region to the other, contemplating which area to try first before trying it all. Emi turned to Luffy, excitement written all over her face, and opened her mouth to speak. Before she could say anything, her stomach had beaten her to it, grumbling loudly in protest, begging for food. Emi's cheeks pinked, her hand immediately clutching at her stomach as if to silence the growls. Luffy laughed in amusement, patting Emi's back. "Don't worry, I'm pretty hungry too. There should be an area with concession stands or maybe a restaurant around here somewhere."

"Yeah," Emi agreed readily. "I didn't get the chance to eat very much this morning. I wasn't very sure of the location they wanted us to meet at so I left early. I got lost a few times, but I did at least show up on time."

They looked around for some sort of map, hoping it would divulge the location of a place to eat. "I hope that there's a buffet more than anything."

The smile on Sakiko's face was half excitement and half ecstasy. The day was a wonderful dream for her. Sakiko stood next to Sanji, her hand lacing fingers with his as they walked down the park's pavement. Sakiko and Sanji had ridden both of the water rides and three of the five rollercoasters. It seemed that everyone was able to immediately get onto rides because of VIP passes that were paid for by the company that had sponsored the dates so Sakiko took advantage of the situation and took Sanji with her on as many rides as possible. Sakiko wanted to build as many memories with Sanji as she could. She didn't buy any of the pictures that the amusement park offered for people though. Regardless, neither she nor Sanji needed pictures anyway. Sanji was quite the gentleman about everything, offering her seats and holding doors open for her. It was a wonderful experience for her. Sanji was the lover of women.

Sanji found Sakiko to be an amusing woman. She had a childlike attitude when the rides were concerned but she seemed to have a relatively decent amount of knowledge about classic bands and was able to keep the conversations they had on interesting topics. At first, Sanji thought that Sakiko was simply an avid fan of him, like many other women who had approached him. But there was more to Sakiko than that. Sanji enjoyed the conversations they had and appreciated Sakiko's company. She had moments were she seemed to be self-conscious about herself, when men or women would look their way then focus their attention on her. It didn't bother Sanji to receive so much attention. Being famous made any of the awkwardness of random people staring at him lessen. It was simply that Sakiko seemed uncomfortable when the attention was directed at her. Sakiko didn't seem the shy type so her actions made no sense to him. She seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself on the date regardless so Sanji continued to ensure that the day was joyful for her.

A block away stood a large, imposing black sign with dripping green letters that read 'Haunted House'. Sakiko stared, the hair on her neck standing at the thought. Then a brilliant thought came into mind: she and Sanji could go into the haunted house and she could cling to Sanji whenever something 'scary' happened. Yes, it was silly but it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. "Let's go in the Haunted House."

Sanji stared at the building warily. Haunted houses were ridiculous places. They were places for cheap thrills and not in the slightest romantic. Sanji couldn't understand why Sakiko wanted to suddenly go into the haunted house. But that's what she wanted so he complied, escorting her.

The inside of the haunted house consisted of darkness and creaking floors. The walls were cold, giving off a damp, moist feeling so touching it was disgusting. There were flickering lamps that lit small portions of the hallway, unveiling small portions of darker passages. Sanji and Sakiko continued forward, Sakiko staring at the darkness as if willing her sight to see what the dark hid. Sakiko thought that the darkness wouldn't make her paranoid but the partial vision and the creaking noise of the floor created a lot of the sounds that made her insides jump. But she kept composed, forgetting about her plans to latch onto Sanji when something would jump out. They had walked a good amount into the haunted house and nothing had yet to jump out or try to frighten them. Sakiko didn't understand why the haunted house was so empty. As she sniffed the air, the smell of iron filled the air and she couldn't help but have chills. Wasn't iron the smell of blood? It seemed like a typical ploy that haunted houses would play, but the smell was starting now as they were reaching the halfway point within the haunted house.

Silhouetted in the darkness, lay a figure that leaned heavily against the wall; its head was inclined downward, its facial features hidden by the flickering of the lamps. Its hand lay limply at the side of the body and the clothes he wore were tattered, caked with clotted blood and dirt. Sakiko stopped her mind fully alert. It was just a haunted house.

Sakiko's pace slowed as they grew closer to the body; Sanji continued walking next to her as though there was nothing wrong with the situation. It was going to simply be a cheap scare. That's what haunted houses were good for. So when Sakiko go close enough to the body, she nudged the body with her toe. There was no reflexive movement. It simple moved the direction her foot pushed it. "What is with this haunted house," Sakiko asked, indignant at the emptiness of the place. "I swear, did the person who designed this place not care…"

Sakiko felt a hand on her ankle and jumped yelling, "Oh shit!" as she stumbled back. Sanji caught her before she fell over and watched her breath heavily as she stared at the body on the floor. Though the face was shrouded in darkness, there was a visible smile on the face. Sakiko stared at the body, mad. It wasn't just some mannequin. She was embarrassed by her reaction; and when Sanji began to laugh vigorously, she pinked even more.

They were quick to leave the rest of the haunted house after that, occasional frights of ceiling falling items or jumping bodies avoided. Sakiko was too embarrassed by how she reacted to the first fright to be scared of the rest of the haunted house.

Once they were out Sakiko sighed. Sanji had a look of amusement the entire time. She loved his smiling face, but she wasn't so sure if she enjoyed it at the expense of her pride; although she had originally not cared when it was to be silly and jump into his arms, but that one she did was not what had been planned. Sakiko looked at Sanji, a little angry at his continued expression. "You don't have to look that happy about the whole thing, you know."

Sanji continued to smile, and Sakiko's expression grew sour. With a smile still on his face, Sanji put an arm around her shoulders. She flushed immediately. The situation wasn't too bad. "I'm sorry," Sanji apologized, "the whole situation was cute though so I couldn't help but find it all funny."

The haunted house was somewhat of a bust, but in the end it did have its advantages. Plans went awry, however the end result was still something nice.

"Well, that seems like a sufficient amount of information for my article, thanks Franky."

Franky and I stood from our seats, Franky giving me a carefree smile. He was pretty good-natured about the date turned interview. I only had two members left to interview after this. Luffy seemed easy enough to do. Zolo was someone who was more difficult to handle though. He was hardheaded and a very private person. I remember the first time I tried to get an interview with him; he had a rather rude response in concern to my request. Recalling where he said my article should be was disheartening but didn't deter me.

"Well, KK, we still got a good amount of the day to have fun if you would like." It was weird being called KK by Franky. I hadn't had a nickname since college. It was a little refreshing to be called something that wasn't so formal. Made me think of the days where my friends and I did stupid things just for the hell of it.

"I have a rather fun idea, if you're up for it." I hadn't had much ridiculous fun in a while; it was just something I had been hoping to do a lot lately.

Franky smiled as if he understood my plans, striking a pose. His legs were apart and his arms extended above his head held together next to each other at a 45 degree angle where half the stars on his arms connected to create one whole star. I laughed in amusement. I knew about his trademark pose previously and had seen multiple pictures of it. Seeing the pose in person was a completely different experience though.

We walked through the park casually, our eyes looking around carefully for our targets. The plan was simply to observe the dates and have a little fun with the situation. Fun consisted of either watching the dates turn into something ridiculous or helping it turn into something ridiculous. Yes, it was kind of mean to interfere with another person's date, but Franky and I were on our own date and our enjoyment happened to consist of making the other dates something amusing to watch.

The first place we decided to check was the concession stands and the small restaurants that were within the area. Franky and I both agreed that that would be the most likely place for Luffy to have taken his date when either of them had gotten hungry. We checked a few restaurants and seats near their respective stands until we got to a restaurant where a crowd had gathered outside to watch through the windows. They were probably inside.

We carefully sifted through the crowd, getting to the forefront of the window to see. My jaw nearly dropped and Franky laughed at the sight ahead. There at a two seated table sat Luffy and Emi with stacks upon stacks of plates on the table in front of them. The people weren't there to see Luffy. They had no idea it was him. The crowd was too busy gawking at the fact that he had eaten plate upon plate of food. I could tell that they were probably waiting for him to finally finish but that didn't look like a possibility that would occur anytime soon.

"That's Luffy for you," Franky crowed proudly. "That boy can eat enough for a group of ten large men and then some. I don't know where he puts it, but when a buffet is involved he literally has no limits."

"I can tell," I muttered, jotting down some notes about him for my article. Out of curiosity, I looked towards Emi, interested as to her reaction at the spectacle that Luffy was putting forth. She looked unfazed by the whole event though. She had a small stack of three plates before her, working on her desert plate patiently as Luffy continued to attack the food that was left on his plate. Emi seemed content in Luffy's company. She was enjoying her meal undisturbed by the ravaged plates stacked next to Luffy without a care. It must take a lot to disgust that girl.

I shook my head, sighing at the sight. The situation here was pretty much ridiculous looking without Franky or I doing anything. That was no fun. "We might as well search for Sanji and Sakiko. Come one, Franky."

Franky complied, the amusement at Luffy and Emi's situation still reflected on his face. It wasn't very far until we spotted Sakiko and Sanji together. They were waiting in line to get on the carousel. Sanji looked well behaved… it was a strange sight to behold. I could only assume that Nami had threatened him. Otherwise, he would have been flirting shamelessly with almost every pretty lady he encountered.

Sanji had an arm around Sakiko's shoulder and everything seemed normal. That was when I noticed Sanji's head incline slightly and his line of vision was directed elsewhere. I followed his line of sight to a group of young women all dressed in form-fitting clothing, giggling. A lecherous look came on his face as his gaze ran over the women. I could feel a look of anticipation come over my face. I knew this would happen. Sanji couldn't have been so well behaved without some sort of slip up on his façade. I could see Franky watching the scene also and he grinned knowingly.

"I knew he wouldn't be able to completely resist," Franky commented. "Nami said for all of us to behave but as you can see some of us have a hard enough time."

I stared at Franky. I assumed him not behaving would be his bottom half only being the customary speedo he would wear. I wasn't so sure about Luffy behaving much, since he was already causing a scene with his eating habits but he could have been worse. There wasn't much to be done. I just watched Sakiko and Sanji get into the chariot seats of the carousel before it began to spin slowly in its rhythmic motion. They looked content, so any notions I had of interfering with their date for my amusement quickly deflated.

I looked at the sky, tints of orange of purple streaking above the horizon. The day was slowly coming to a close and all that was left of the date was a few hours of daylight. "Come on, Franky," I said placing a hand on his elbow. "Since we have a few hours left, let's get in line for the Ferris wheel."

Franky looked at me strangely. Was what I suggested so abnormal?

"Sure," he complied, posing quickly in front of the horizon. Some people took photos of it. I couldn't help but find amusement at the scene. Franky had done that pose quite a few times when we were talking about his past. Seemed like a reflexive response on his part. But it made him a unique and likable person.

Three couples were ahead of Emi and Luffy in the line for the Ferris wheel. Luffy looked eager to ride. Emi was nervously fidgeting as their turn was nearing. He was too oblivious to the fact that the Ferris wheel was normally considered a romantic ride for couples. Emi sighed after glancing at Luffy. He was always so simpleminded. She wasn't sure when her feelings for her long-time friend turned to love, but when it did she realized how oblivious the idiot was to it.

"Next!"

Emi was startled at the sudden announcement. She was so lost in thought that it had already become their turn to board the ride. Luffy and Emi were ushered towards the doorway of the passenger car by the park employee. When they entered, Emi and Luffy sat on opposite sides though. Luffy looked directly at Emi as the ride began to start its revolution. She could feel his watchful gaze and embarrassment overcame her; as a result, Emi paid special attention to her lap, trying desperately not to think about Luffy staring directly at her.

Luffy couldn't help watching Emi. He knew it made her uncomfortable but there was something about her that felt normal. Natural. All day, it was easy for him to speak to her uninhibited. Emi made the day fun for both of them; as if it was something she always knew how to do. When Emi had first told Luffy that they were childhood friends, he was skeptical. He didn't know who she was, and there were no definite memories of her that he could recall. But throughout the day, Luffy being with Emi triggered something that could only be described as familiar. There was a warm feeling that filled his chest every time Luffy stared at Emi. He couldn't identify it though.

The ride jerked slightly, stopping midway to the halfway point. Emi looked up at the sudden movement and locked eyes with Luffy. She flushed but didn't look away. Luffy and Emi were always together before. There was nothing more natural in the world. But after so long, Emi could feel herself weaken. Emi thought she had gotten over the loneliness that accompanied Luffy's disappearance, yet seeing him again brought it all back. All the warmth, the sadness, and the joy she always felt in Luffy's presence were rushing back to her as she stared into his eyes. Her thoughts were interrupted as the ride continued to the peak.

Luffy was always told that there were pieces of his memories that were missing. He never believed it before because there was no one from his far past that could confirm it. Here sat Emi though. She was a piece of his past that he could feel more than remember. A part of him wanted to desperately remember; however, there was this tight pain in his chest holding it all back. It was too painful for Luffy to let loose.

The Ferris wheel stopped once more as it reached its peak. Emi looked out the window as the sun lit up the horizon. Orange and red spread from the sun turning the blue of the sky a warm color. It was a lovely sight. To see such a sight, it would have been considered good timing. Emi looked forward. Luffy was still staring at her. She felt self-conscious, fidgeting but refusing to look away.

Luffy saw Emi's eyes were on him and he couldn't help but wonder. Who was she? There was too much familiarity between them. Luffy could feel it when he was with Emi. There was warmth in his chest, and he could feel himself moving closer to the side Emi sat upon. He could remember something. It was vague but he saw himself and his brother eating together in their home around a low table. Luffy had barely turned ten and they were celebrating with a large meal. They were laughing and nudging one another jovially. It was a happy memory. That's when Luffy saw another person. With short brown hair and a bright smile, she laughed along with them. Luffy wasn't sure but maybe that was Emi.

Emi stared at Luffy in surprise. He held her hands in front of him, smiling. "I remembered something. It isn't much but I think I remember eating dinner together with you and my brother on my birthday." He frowned momentarily. "I'm sorry but I can't remember much else."

Emi shook her head. "It's fine. No worries," she said giving a reassuring smile.

Luffy looked at her smiling face. There was a tinge of sadness behind it. He leaned in kissing Emi's cheek lightly, startling her. It was a familiar gesture that she could recall from their childhood. He had always done it whenever she was extremely upset and nothing else would calm her down.

"Luffy..?"

Emi questioned it but he didn't have a response or a reason that he could give her. To his relief, the Ferris wheel continued down. The rest of the ride they spent avoiding eye contact so they wouldn't have to discuss what had happened. Normally Emi would be ready to talk about it all immediately but she was still confused about the fact that he had no solid memories of her.

Once they were off the ride, they were able to talk. They avoided the topic of any event on the Ferris wheel though. There were too many thoughts and actions that occurred that neither was able to understand completely.

The day had finished. We all met again at the entryway that we were all dropped off at and met. Emi and Luffy had an awkward air about them, but they weren't distancing themselves from one another. They seemed confused. Sanji and Sakiko seemed to be getting along well, exchanging emails and phone numbers to keep in touch. All of us girls did the same later on when we had all gotten the chance to be together by ourselves. I was as curious about their dates as they were about mine.

When the limo arrived, Nami came out to usher the women inside. She had said something about the band members getting separate rides. All of us didn't mind though. Emi, Sakiko, and I were all too busy exchanging numbers and contact information.

A nice day had ended, but it was too soon to decide whether or not that was the end of anything.

XXX

a/e: Sorry it took so long to update. I plan to have it up within a week normally. Just had a lot to type and find someone to proofread. Have fun reading. It's time for me to get started on the next chapter.


End file.
